1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of spear guns and more specifically relates to a multifunctional fish and lobster harvesting system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Spear fishing is an ancient method of fishing that has been used throughout the world for millennia. Early civilizations were familiar with the custom of spearing fish from rivers and streams using sharpened sticks. Today modern spear fishing typically makes use of elastic powered spear guns and slings, or compressed gas pneumatic powered spear guns to strike the hunted fish. Specialized techniques and equipment have been developed for various types of aquatic environments and target fish. Spear fishing may be done using free-diving, snorkeling, or scuba diving techniques.
When spear fishing, a spear is loaded into a spear gun and aimed at the fish to be taken. The spear is a shaft with a sharp point at the end. A spring, an elastic band, or a pneumatic charge propels the spear forward where it leaves the gun and is able to travel for a considerable distance before stopping. The spear may be retrievable, or may be lost after being discharged. Some spears are attached to the gun with a cable so they are more easily retrievable, but reloading can take much time. Generally, spear fishing serves a purpose when little else is practical, and is practiced by professional seamen for harvesting moderate to large sized fish. Because of the expense of the equipment, it is not generally practiced by the average marine recreation seeker. Also, care must be taken when using a spear gun around other swimmers because of the force and weight of the spears and the distances that spears can travel. The average swimmer or fisherman is less likely to use a spear gun due to the aforementioned reasons.
Lion fish are an invasive species of fish that tend to take over an environment and damage the healthy balance of indigenous species, and as such, may be harvested with no restrictions in locations where they proliferate. With no satisfactory solution for controlling the species, the best solution seems to be spear fishing or other similar methods that allow the fisherman to specifically target the lion fish. The problem is, there are not enough people that engage in taking lion fish due to cost and lack of ideal equipment.
Lobsters may be caught using traps that resemble cages. Lobster traps are lowered to the ocean floor with a cable or rope having a buoy tied to the top end so that the trap can be retrieved and checked for lobsters, usually after a day or so. When scuba diving or snorkeling, lobster can be seen in numbers in the right locations. A device that could quickly catch live lobster without harming them or getting the harvester injured, and that is very affordable, would be very useful. A device that addressed all of the above mentioned problems would be of great help while providing many hours of enjoyment for a much larger number of people.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pub. No. 8,387,602 to Robert Kevin Bruington, U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,642 to Vasiljevic Tomislav P., U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,768 to Taylor Ervin W., U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,875 to Paul J Califano, U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,330 to De Bach Paul H, U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,880 to Grenier Richard P, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,034 to William May. This art is representative of spear guns. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a spear gun should be multifunctional for harvesting various types of marine sea animals while having the ability to snare lobsters unharmed and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable multifunctional fish and lobster harvesting system to avoid the above-mentioned problems.